Ekurhuleni Residents Are Without University

The executive mayor says it's one of the only metros in the world without a place of tertiary education.

Mzwandile Masina speaks at a debate on the in Parliament in 2015.
Photo by Ashraf Hendricks/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Ekurhuleni executive Mayor Mzwandile Masina said it is essential that Parliament allows Ekurhuleni to open its own university.

He was speaking during an interview on Radio 702 on Wednesday morning.

The metro - which has a population of more than 3 million people - is one of the only city's in the world without it's own tertiary institution, the mayor said.

"It could change the current statistics with regards to skills base here in Ekurhuleni, moreso because we are the industrial hub of the country, and we believe that the call for the fourth industrial revolution should be anchored by a university of technology that is going to focus on some of the skills that are identified in discussions taking place there at the moment." Masina said.

The city has secured an appropriate portion of land for the project, the mayor said, and a feasibility study is currently underway by academics from around the country.

Council members, he said, will soon present their plan to the Department of Education.

Radio host Stephen Grootes raised the promise of a student economy to the historically Industrialised municipality.

The model being looking at are faculties 90% funded by the private sector organisations already happening in the municipality.

"It will be important if we work with members of the private sector if we hope to make this dream a reality." Masina said.